title: Blood pressure control among stroke patients in Thailand--the i-STROKE study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Direct correlation between stroke mortality and hypertension calls for a tight blood pressure (BP) control. Our study determined the prevalence of the BP control and evaluated current clinical practices on hypertension management in stroke patients in Thailand.
  
  
  METHODS
  This multicenter, cross-sectional, retrospective, observational study was carried out between February 2010 and January 2011 and enrolled stroke patients aged 45 years or older with ictus incidence 12,030 days before the enrollment. The events were confirmed by either computerized tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging. Patient data including demographics, medical, and clinical history were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At enrollment, 274 of 558 (49.1%) patients had controlled arterial BP with an average pressure of 134.220.4/78.812.8 mm Hg; 412 (73.8%) patients received antihypertensive medications and the most common use was angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), reported in 200 (35.8%) patients. With questionnaire, insufficient antihypertensive use and lack of patients' awareness were the 2 most common reasons given by physicians for the patients' uncontrolled BP. Factors identified to have adverse association with the controlled BP at enrollment were diabetes at baseline, stage II hypertension, stage I hypertension, and the use of ACEIs at discharge (odds ratio of .18, .24, .30 [P < .001], and .53 [P = .009], respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite clinical evidence of the benefits of the BP control in reduction of secondary stroke events, a substantial number of stroke patients in Thailand do not achieve their BP targets, and this could possibly be a result of inadequate use of antihypertensive therapies and lack of compliance to BP management guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, Phramongkutklao Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. Electronic address: neuropmk@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Samart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nidhinandana
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Disya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ratanakorn
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Nijasri
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Charnnarong
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand.
authors.forename: Sombat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muengtaweepongsa
authors.affiliation: Prasat Neurological Institute, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Somchai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Towanabut
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001364:Awareness; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents
keywords: Blood pressure control; Thailand; hypertension management; risk factors; stroke